Overview
Mike serves as the MRO Technical Director at NIAR, where he leads technical execution and cross-discipline integration for a diverse portfolio of military and commercial aviation programs. His recent responsibilities include technical oversight of USAF B-1B repair and modification activities, A321 Passenger to Freighter conversion, 737-500 oil spill response supplemental type certificate program, as well as multiple other developmental and aircraft maintenance programs.
With over two decades of experience in both Civil and Military aerospace industry, Mike’s background is anchored primarily in stress engineering and structural analysis. He has contributed extensively to new product development, airworthiness certification, and structural testing ranging from coupon to full-scale ground and flight test campaigns. His expertise also includes special mission modifications and long-term fleet health management through Aircraft Structural Integrity Programs (ASIP).
Before returning to NIAR, Mike held key leadership roles in structural engineering at Bombardier, Spirit AeroSystems, and Textron Aviation. Past programs supported include Textron Scorpion, The Spaceship Company’s SpaceshipTwo, Sierra Nevada Corporation special-mission aircraft, the Learjet 85, and multiple Cessna business jet programs such as the CJ1+, CJ2+, CJ3, CJ4, and Columbus. He also contributed to the Boeing 787 and several Bombardier business and commercial aircraft, supporting both development and certification activities.
Mike’s roots in aviation began during an internship at NIAR in 2003, where he performed physical teardown and conducted detailed fractographic and microscopic analysis on defects on previously in-service aircraft – experience that shaped his deep understanding of structural behavior and lifecycle maintenance. A recipient of the prestigious Dwayne and Velma Wallace Scholar Award, Mike earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Wichita State University in 2005.